Charming Dragons
by writergirljenn
Summary: When Daenerys Targaryen awakes in a world very different from her own, she is clueless as to how to complete the mission the Red Witch has tasked her with, the one that promises to bring back her husband and son. Is a handsome widower with a charming smile the key? Or will he serve as the ultimate distraction?
1. Chapter 1

Daenerys Targaryen awoke in the dead of night, just as she always did- when the moon was at its brightest. It was then and only then that she would allow herself to grieve for her dear husband. _Moon of my life_, he would call her. _My sun and stars_, she would answer. So many times she'd looked for him in the night sky since his death- for comfort, for guidance. But she never found him. That was why she…

"Drogo!" She pulled herself up from the cold, unforgiving ground, made from a type of stone she was not familiar with. There appeared to be some sort of light across the room, but it was not a warm, breathing light like she was used to. It was steady, cold. Man-made? It couldn't be.

The Red Witch had warned Daenerys that this new land was unlike any other she'd ever been to. If she was telling the truth about that, then maybe she was telling the truth about all of it. Daenerys had taken a huge leap of faith, putting her life in Melisandre's hands, but she still couldn't bring herself to believe that all the high priestess had promised would come to be. Because if she did believe it, and then it didn't happen, it would surely kill her.

Daenerys stood, her head aching, taking in her surroundings. She was locked in a small cell with brick walls, a smooth, stone floor, and steel bars. What she'd first mistaken for moonlight and then firelight was actually coming from an odd-looking glass case attached to the ceiling.

"Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing down a vacant corridor. This castle wasn't like any she'd seen before. It was smaller, plainer, and filled with a very strange, unnatural scent.

"It's no use," a deep voice with an unrecognizable accent called from nearby. "Bailey's the only one on duty, and that piece of shit's been sawing logs for hours." Daenerys whipped around, her braided locks following suit, to find the source of the voice.

A handsomely peculiar looking man was seated in a cell adjacent to hers, on what looked like the saddest excuse for a bed Daenerys had ever seen. He had hair nearly as fair as hers, but wore it in an odd manner- slicked back with some sort of oil. His clothes were just as strange- made of fabrics Daenerys had never seen before. His face was neither clean-shaven nor bearded, but rather in between. His eyes, though. His eyes were kind. And although Daenerys had no idea where she was, or what to expect, she did not fear this man.

"I beg your pardon, sir?" she asked. The man laughed quietly, although Daenerys couldn't imagine why.

"Not from around here, are ya?" he joked.

"I am Queen Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, First of her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons," she announced, waiting for the man to kneel before her, as all men did. Instead, he remained seated, letting out a long, low whistle.

"You must be on some killer shit, there, lady." He smiled, seemingly amused. Daenerys looked upon him with disdainful curiosity. She should have been furious that this peasant, whoever he was, was being so disrespectful. But something about the look on his face told her that her title, as long and impressive as it may be, held no weight in this strange land of tiny castles and man-made light.

"Jackson Teller," the man announced. "President of the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, fixer of automobiles, eater of pizza, and father of monsters- two of 'em. I like 'dragons,' though. That's a good one."

Daenerys scoffed at his introduction, mostly because she didn't understand a word of it. "And where is 'here,' Jackson Teller?"

"Jax. Just call me Jax. You got a nickname? The guys around here have low attention spans and not a lot of patience. You might do better to stick with something shorter."

Daenerys bit her lip, considering Jax's words. She'd grown so used to her reputation preceding her, she never gave it much thought. But if her title meant nothing here, if no one knew her in this land, it might be best to play things safe- to follow the lead of this Jackson Teller, and pick up on the cues of the townspeople. If there was one thing Daenerys knew, it was how to adapt to new cultures. If she could fit in with the Dothraki, she could fit in anywhere.

"Dany," she said, cringing at the nickname her wicked brother had given her when they were children. "Dany Targaryen."

Jax smiled. "Much better. Welcome to Charming, Dany."

"Charming? Is that the name of this castle, or of your land?" Dany hoped she was close to pinning down where she was so that she could figure out how to get where she needed to be. There was much to be done, and the sooner she accomplished her mission, the sooner she would find out whether the Red Witch was telling the truth or not.

"Wow," Jax breathed, shaking his head as he chuckled. "You're really into this medieval shit, huh?" Dany locked eyes with him, her brow furrowed. "Okay," he sighed. "What the hell. I've got nothin' better to do, I'll play along. Charming is the name of this town. You're in Charming, California. You do at least know you're in Cali, right?"

Dany frowned. "California? Is that south of King's Landing? Or nearer to the Iron Islands?"

Jax laughed heartily. Dany was both offended and confused, but she refused to let him see that. "Okay, I gotta ask, darlin'. I shouldn't, but I have to. What year do you think it is?"

"Why, it's the three hundred and second year following Aegon's Landing. Surely you know that?" The perplexed look on Jax's face said otherwise.

"It's 2015 AD, sweetheart. AD means after death, as in the death of our lord, Jesus Christ."

"Who?"

"Holy shit," Jax muttered. "I need a smoke."

"A _what_?" Dany was trying not to let her frustration show, but the more she and Jax talked, the less she understood about this strange land Melisandre had sent her to. He seemed to be equally frustrated, biting his lip as he contemplated what to say next.

"Look, let's just get some shut-eye, alright? It's late. Maybe after we post bail in the morning, I'll take you out to breakfast and we can try this again. Maybe they've even got some normal clothes in evidence that they'll let you change into. 'Til then, goodnight, Mother of Dragons." Jax laid down on his very small, very uncomfortable looking bed, turning his back to Dany so as to leave no doubt that their conversation was over.

She took a seat on the edge of her identical bed, knowing Jax was right. She hadn't understood half of what he said, but she always felt better after a good night's rest and a hearty breakfast. She just hoped that 'breakfast' meant the same thing in Charming as it did back home. _Home_. Dany had spent so much time traveling over the past few years, she had no idea where home even was anymore. To her, it had always been wherever Drogo was. This place was not home. But if it led her to Drogo, and to their son, she would stay as long as she had to.


	2. Chapter 2

"Rise and shine, cupcake." Dany opened her eyes to find Jackson Teller standing just outside her cell, his hands wrapped around the bars. She'd learned many languages throughout her travels, but his language was definitely the strangest. She sat up, stretching her arms toward the low-hanging ceiling and the odd, man-made light.

"Is it morning?" she asked.

Jax nodded. "Afternoon, actually. The good ol' judge was running a little behind this morning. Anyway, I come bearing good news."

"I highly doubt that," Dany mused. She hadn't slept much, only drifting off a couple of hours before Jax woke her, so she'd had quite a while to think. She'd come to the conclusion that she needed to be cautious, and say very little. She'd been a fool to trust Melisandre, and until she figured out what she'd gotten herself into, she needed to be vigilant about her safety.

"My bail's been posted, and you're free to go. Guess there were no charges filed. They found you passed out in a park and brought you in to sleep it off. You got somewhere to go?" Dany stared at Jax, torn. She hated admitting weakness and asking for help, but she had no idea where she was or what she was facing. And as she looked into the kind stranger's deep blue eyes, she knew she'd be safe with him. She needed a guide in this strange new world. Maybe Jax could be it. "I'm not gonna hurt you," he assured her. "My kids are out of town this weekend, I've got the house to myself. You can stay in the spare bedroom until you get yourself together if you want. No offense, darlin', but you seem a little…lost." Dany swallowed the lump in her throat. The majority of what Jax said made no sense to her, but she more than understood that last word. _Lost_. She definitely was.

"Yes, thank you," she said softly, offering him a gracious smile. He nodded, then whistled down the hall.

"Yo, Ramirez. Wanna come spring our spirited friend, here?" A caramel-skinned man dressed in what appeared to be a uniform appeared, wearing the tiniest shield Dany had ever seen pinned to his chest. A black box that was neither steel nor cloth hung from his hip, strange noises and voices crackling through it. Dany jumped back, afraid. She looked to Jax. He didn't seem alarmed. "It's okay," he promised.

The man with the box of voices removed a ring of small, misshapen keys from his belt, and used one to unlock Dany's cell door.

"Ma'am," he said, nodding curtly as he pulled the door open. "Jax. Enjoy your day."

"Thanks, man," Jax answered, clapping the guard on his shoulder.

"Thank you, man," Dany repeated, trying to mimic Jax. Judging by the way both he and Ramirez guffawed, she'd failed.

With her head held high and her senses alert, Dany followed Jax out of the tiny castle, which was even more bizarre than she'd imagined. She quickly became overwhelmed by the oddly dressed people, foreign sounds and smells, and unfamiliar objects hanging on walls and sitting on tables. In an effort to calm herself, she took a deep breath, and focused only on the back of Jax's head. He pushed his way through a translucent door made of steel and glass. Dany followed, shielding her eyes from the bright afternoon sun. She hoped to find herself in familiar territory once outside, but the land was even stranger than the castle. There was no sand, no mountains, and very little meadow. Just castle upon castle, in neat rows as far as the eye could see. They were all every bit as peculiar looking as the one she'd been held captive in. The ground was made up of stone painted with yellow and white lines, and filled with steel carriages that flew by, none of them attached to horses. Nothing was familiar to Dany. For the first time in a very long time, she felt as if she might cry.

Jax led her to a strange black and silver contraption with two wheels, a seat, and two handles.

"Steel horses," she murmured, remembering the Red Witch's words. Among other things, she'd warned her of men with steel horses in the new land.

Jax turned to her, handing her a black, bowl-like hat with a fabric strap hanging from it. "What'd you say?" Dany shook her head. She turned the hat over in her hands, looking up at Jax. "Like this," he said, putting his own black hat on and strapping it under his chin. Dany did the same. She watched as he climbed onto his steel horse, wondering where hers was. When he patted the seat behind him, though, she knew that he meant for her to ride with him.

Jax's steel horse was louder and faster than any horse Dany had ever been on, and what she could see of the countryside as it streaked by was all completely foreign to her. After a brief time, they slowed and came to a stop in front of a small home that was much more colorful than the homes Dany was used to.

"Home sweet home," Jax announced, helping Dany down from the bike. She smiled, biting back the hundreds of questions on her lips. "Let's get you cleaned up and fed, and then we can talk, alright?" Dany nodded.

She was quiet as Jax gave her a tour of his home, which was filled with curious things, and when he showed her how to work the shower. She was tempted to ask him if he was alright when he set a pile of fresh clothing in the bathroom for her to change into after she'd bathed. He looked so sad, as if the garments meant something to him. But if she began asking questions, she'd be inviting him to do the same, and that wasn't something she was ready for.

The shower was nice, like bathing in her own personal rainstorm, only with much warmer and cleaner water. Dany soaked her hair, using her fingernails to scrub her scalp and untwist her braids. There were bottles of lotions and creams lining the shelves inside the shower, but she had no idea what any of them were for. On one bottle there was an outline of a woman with long, flowing hair. Dany opened the bottle and poured a small amount of its contents into her hand. It smelled good, like strawberries. She worked it slowly into her hair, hoping she was using it for its intended purpose. A thick foam began to form in her hair, and she quickly rinsed it out. She pulled her long locks over one shoulder, examining them for damage. There was none. Her hair now smelled of strawberries, just like the cream. And it felt softer than she ever remembered it being.

Dany examined the other bottles. One was labeled 'face wash,' so she squirted a little bit of it onto her fingers and gently massaged it into her cheeks and forehead. Then she used the one called 'body wash' to cleanse the rest of her body. When she was finished, she washed off all the suds and breathed in the fresh, wonderful scent of her skin and hair. Maybe this world wasn't all bad. She turned off the water the way Jax had shown her, and then used the towel he'd left her to dry herself. She slipped on the tight fitting black pants and sleeveless shirt she'd been given, then studied her reflection in the large looking glass hanging from the wall.

Her cheeks were pink and her hair fell in damp waves to her waist. The clothes were comfortable, soft, but she felt very out of place in them. Probably because they made her look very much like the strange people in this strange land, and very unlike the queen that she was. That was her goal, though, to fit in. She smiled at her reflection and opened the door, following her nose to a delicious smell coming from what Jax called the dining room.

She found him sitting at the table alone, a thin, square box in front of him labeled 'Pizza.'

He looked up at her and smiled. "Hungry?"


	3. Chapter 3

"May I ask you something?" Dany asked, swallowing the last bite of the most delicious pie she'd ever eaten, one covered with rich cheeses and meats and vegetables. Jax nodded, taking a swig of the pale-colored ale he was drinking from a small brown bottle. "Why are you being so kind to me? You don't know me. And I fear I've got nothing to give you in exchange for your hospitality."

Jax smiled at Dany, his kind eyes meeting hers. "Just seemed like the right thing to do," he said. "You looked like you were in a bad way last night. I've been there. So I thought I'd help you out. Better me than some depraved pervert, right?"

"Thank you, Jackson. You're a good man." Dany meant it as a compliment, but Jax looked pained, as if the thought of someone seeing the good in him was upsetting.

He quickly changed the subject. "Can I ask _you_ something?"

"Of course," she said, hoping his question was one she could answer.

"How old are you, Dany?" Simple enough.

She smiled. "I'll be 22 this year."

"You're still just a baby, then." A slight smile played across Jax's lips. Dany felt fire in her veins. _A baby?_ She'd been married, nearly a mother, lost her husband and child, freed thousands of slaves, and ruled over an entire kingdom in just a few short years. She was no _baby_. She stifled her anger and let out a deep breath.

"Where I come from," she said calmly, "I am plenty old."

"And where do you come from?" Jax asked.

Dany pursed her lips, deciding how to answer. "Somewhere very far away, and very different from this place."

"I'll say," Jax chuckled.

"Where is your family?" Dany asked. "You said you have children? I believe you called them monsters."

"I have two sons, Abel and Thomas. They went to the lake with my sister Trinity for the weekend. She helps me take care of them."

"And what of their mother?"

Jax was very far away all of a sudden, his eyes dark and full of mourning. "She's no longer with us," he said.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Jackson Teller." Dany's words were sincere as she reached across the table and placed a comforting hand on Jax's forearm. "Did she die during childbirth?"

The question brought Jax back to the present, and he looked at her, puzzled. "_What_? No."

"Was she killed by one of your enemies?"

Jax's face went pale as he looked off into the distance. "Yeah. Something like that." They sat in silence for a long moment after that, Dany allowing Jax to work through whatever he needed to.

"What about you?" he finally asked, breaking the silence. "Any family?"

"I had one once," Dany explained. "My husband and I were expecting a baby, a little boy. I carried him in my belly for nearly nine months. But I lost him just before he was due to be born, and my husband as well."

Jax looked at her, an unreadable expression on his face. He placed his free hand over hers, which was still resting on his arm. "I'm sorry for your loss, Dany Targaryen." A single tear spilled over onto Dany's cheek. She quickly wiped it away.

"We all have our crosses to bear, I suppose," she said quietly.

"That we do," Jax agreed. "Let's change the subject, shall we?" He pulled away from Dany, straightening in his seat. Dany nodded, taking a small sip from the brown bottle he'd given her. The ale was bubbly, crisp, and sizzled on her tongue. "Last night, when the cops found you. What happened? Were you on your way home from some sort of medieval convention or something?"

Dany frowned. "Some what?"

"That costume you had on. Were you in a play? Are you an actress?"

"Costume?"

"Jesus," Jax breathed. "Okay, we're gonna go through this again, apparently. Just…nevermind that last part. Last night. What happened?"

"I don't know," Dany admitted. It was true. The last thing she remembered before waking up in a cell was drinking the elixir Melisandre had prepared for her, the one that would take her to a land across several realms, where she would find the sorcerer who knew how to undo the blood magic that had taken Drogo and her son from her. According to Melisandre, he could bring them both back, alive and whole.

"Look," Jax said, his voice soft. "I really want to help you, Dany. But I can't do that if you don't give me anything to work with. I get that you're in a bad place. After my wife died, I did some crazy shit- completely lost my fucking mind. So I understand what you're going through. But this medieval shit- the costume, the 'mother of dragons' thing, the talking about kings and shit…it's gotta stop. I can't help you if you're locked up in a psych ward."

"I don't understand," Dany whispered, covering her mouth with her hand so that Jax wouldn't see her lower lip trembling. "What's a 'medieval?' You've said that to me a few times now, and I haven't the faintest idea what it is."

Jax sighed, pushing his chair away from the table and standing up. "Come with me." Dany followed him into another room, one with two chairs, a couple of small tables, a long bench against one wall, and a large black panel attached to the opposite wall. Jax picked up a small, rectangular box from one of the tables and pressed a button on it. Dany jumped as the panel on the wall sprang to life with voices and faces. "Sit down," Jax said. Dany sat in the chair furthest from the box, waiting for the two-dimensional people to come through the portal and into Jax's home. But they didn't. They didn't seem to be aware of her or Jax at all.

Jax pressed more buttons, causing the picture on the wall to change a number of times. Eventually, he settled on something that was familiar to Dany, the first thing that made sense to her since arriving in this strange place. And yet, it made no sense at all. Inside the box, there was a castle, much like the one Dany called home in Meereen. In the castle there were people- knights, maidens, lords, a king, a queen. All of them were dressed in clothes similar to Dany's, and talked in a manner she was accustomed to. _But why were they inside a box_?

"It's a movie," Jax explained. "It's not real. All this shit, it's just actors and costumes and props and special effects. This isn't the real world, Dany. The real world hasn't looked like this in hundreds of years."

"This makes no sense," she murmured, her voice unsteady. She rose from the chair and made her way to the box on the wall, pressing her fingers to it. It was cold, smooth- like glass. Jax was right. It wasn't real. "Melisandre…she lied to me. She sent me here to get rid of me so that her precious Stannis could rule the kingdom with no one left to oppose him. I should have known, I…" She turned to Jax, who was watching her, wide-eyed.

"Look, Dany. I'm not trying to upset you. I'm just trying to help you," he said.

"You can't help me. No one can help me now." Dany started for the door, but Jax followed her, grabbing her arm gently. She turned around.

"Please don't go. Just…let's make a deal, alright? I'll help you if you help me. We'll figure out what's going on together, but you have to cool it with the dragon shit, at least around other people. You have to dress like we dress, talk like we talk, follow our customs. When something freaks you out, like a TV or a motorcycle, just play it cool. Okay?"

Dany raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "So you believe me?"

"No," Jax said, shaking his head. "But I can tell that you believe it. So I'm not going to question it. I'm just going to help you do whatever it is you need to do to get back to where you belong, whether that's a house in Lodi or a kingdom across the seven seas. Okay?"

Dany smiled. "Okay."


	4. Chapter 4

Dany leaned back into the padded chair near the front window, fearing she might sink into it. She'd never seen such a pillowy piece of furniture. But then, she'd never seen a portal to another dimension hanging on a wall, either. Jax told her it was called a TV, and tried to explain to her how it worked, but she didn't understand.

Nothing that was happening made any sense to her, so she was trying to process it all in fragments. While she wanted nothing more than to mount a steel horse, or better yet, a real one, and go find the sorcerer Melisandre promised her was somewhere in this realm, she knew she had to be patient. She trusted Jax, and he was adamant that the most important thing for her to do was acclimate to her new environment, so she was trying to focus only on that. She could see in Jax's eyes that he was skeptical, that he didn't believe she was from a land like the medieval ones in his TV, But that was okay. Despite his doubts, he'd agreed to help her. That was all that mattered.

"Alright, Dany, I've got a job for you to do," Jax said, holding the box that controlled the portal on the wall. "The best way for you to get a crash course in American culture is to watch TV. You can study how people talk, how they dress, all that shit." He used the buttons on the box to change the picture on the screen several times before stopping. "Watch this. It's called reality TV, so it's real. Sort of. Just cameras following people around while they live their lives."

Dany quirked her eyebrow, confused. "So you want me to just sit here, and watch other people live their lives on your…TV, rather than have experiences in my own life?" Jax nodded. "Well that's just ridiculous."

"Welcome to the 21st century, baby," Jax chuckled. "Just pay attention…take notes, think of some questions for me, whatever. I've got some business to handle and I need to check on the boys, so I'm going to go make a few phone calls." This time, Dany didn't even have to ask. Jax saw the puzzled look on her face, and he knew. "Let me guess. You don't know what a phone is?" Dany shook her head. "Well then how do you get a hold of someone when you need to tell them something, or send them a message?"

"Crows and ravens?" It was more of a question than an answer. How did Jax not know that? No land Dany had ever been to was without them.

"Birds? You send your messages by _bird_?" Dany nodded. Jax roared with laughter. He shook his head as he headed toward the kitchen. "Birds…"

Dany smiled in spite of herself. As foreign as Jax's world was to her, hers was foreign to him as well. And while most of their differences were rather frustrating, some of them were downright comical.

She could just barely hear his voice in the other room as he made his calls. She tried her best to focus on the TV, to pay attention to what was happening on it. It was just so difficult for her to sit still and do nothing. It wasn't something she was used to.

After a while, Jax returned. He grabbed a set of keys from one of the tables, and slid a pair of white shoes onto his feet.

"Dany, I have to run to my shop for a bit. Are you okay here?" She looked up at him, her eyes glossy from boredom. "Or not. Why don't you come with me? Do some up-close and personal research on America's finest?"

"Like this?" Dany asked, pulling on the ends of her shirt. She'd seen so many different clothing styles on TV already, she wasn't sure what was appropriate for different occasions.

"Yeah, that's good," Jax assured her. "Just let me grab you some shoes." He disappeared down the hall and returned holding a pair of flat, black shoes made of cloth. Once again, he looked a little sad as he handed them to her, as if they held some sort of sentimental value. "Here. Try these."

Dany slipped her feet into the shoes with ease. "Perfect," she said.

She followed Jax out the front door, amazed by the glowing balls of light that littered the landscape. Jax had tried, and failed, to explain electricity to her. She didn't understand it, but she certainly appreciated it. It was beautiful.

She strapped on her helmet, which was nothing like the armored helmets she was used to back home, and slid in behind Jax on his steel horse, which he called a motorcycle. She watched in awe as glowing lights in all different colors zipped by in the night sky while they rode. When they arrived at a large, plain-looking building surrounded by the weakest fortress Dany had ever seen, Jax stopped.

"Is this your…shop?" Dany asked, unstrapping her helmet and hopping off the bike with ease.

"It is. Now, these people inside…they're kinda rough. It would probably be best if you engaged in conversation with them as little as possible. Just smile and nod as much as you can. Alright?"

"As you wish," Dany agreed.

The building Jax called his "shop" was full of people, loud noises, and smoky air. There were women dressed in next to nothing, touching and pressing their bodies against the men, flirting and laughing. It reminded Dany a bit of a pub she'd once visited while traveling, and a bit of a whore house. As soon as she and Jax walked through the door, all eyes were on them. The room fell silent.

Dany was aware of her beauty, she wore it like a badge of honor. Other women had been envious of her for as long as she could remember, so the scowls and glares did not intimidate her. Men had adored her all her life, so she was unphased by the way they all ogled her.

"Evening, everyone," Jax announced. "This is Dany. She's just a friend. Nothing to see here. Go about your business." Jax led Dany to a long, thin table with stools on one side of it and a wall of liquor on the other as the conversation among the crowd slowly picked back up. He introduced her personally to two men, Bobby and Chibs. They were older, their hair graying, and the shorter one was plump and had a long beard. Dany smiled and looked on as the men conversed with Jax, ignoring the dirty looks the scantily clad women mulling about the room were giving her. During a lull in the conversation, Jax turned to Dany and smiled.

"So Jackson," she said, unable to resist. "Which of these is your whore?" The old bearded man laughed so suddenly, he was unable to hold in the drink he'd just taken, but not yet swallowed. Liquor drizzled down his beard and dripped onto his shirt, which only made him, as well as Jax and Chibs, laugh harder.

"What happened to smiling and nodding?" Jax whispered into Dany's ear. She smiled, a small giggle escaping her lips. She couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed. It had been ages.

Jax smiled back, his eyes crinkling in the corners. For the first time, Dany realized how handsome he was. Sure, his hair and his clothes and his mannerisms weren't what she was accustomed to, but he was wonderful in his own way- kind and funny, patient and understanding.

"What?" Jax asked, taking notice of the way Dany was looking at him.

She shook her head. "Nothing." Oh, how she wished it was nothing.


	5. Chapter 5

Dany tossed and turned in the unfamiliar bed, way too uncomfortable to sleep. The bed was too soft, the blankets too plush, the pillows too…pillowy. She was trying to come to terms with how different everything was in this land, but she was physically and emotionally exhausted, and had run out of tolerance hours ago.

She threw back the covers and pulled herself to her feet. She still wasn't used to how soft the floors were, covered from wall to wall in some sort of fuzzy blanketing. She quietly exited her room and found her way to the dining room, where there was a large door made of glass on the far wall. She grabbed the handle and pulled the door sideways rather than out, the way she'd seen Jax do earlier. It slid open with ease, the cool late night air blowing her hair back. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The breeze felt good on her skin. She stepped out onto the wooden terrace, barefoot, and looked up to find a bright, full moon, and stars as far as the eye could see. At least one thing in this strange place was familiar. She smiled.

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" Jax's voice startled her. She searched for him in the dark, finding him in the far shadows of the yard, sitting on a wooden bench attached to a frame by wires, swinging slowly back and forth. He patted the empty seat beside him. "Me either."

Dany joined Jax on the swinging bench, but kept her attention focused on the sky.

"You alright?" Jax asked.

Dany bit her lower lip, considering his question. "I'm not sure," she said slowly. "I've tried and I've tried, but I just can't make any sense out of what's going on here."

Jax chuckled. "Well that makes two of us, darlin'."

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" Dany asked suddenly. She studied Jax's face, trying to gauge his sincerity as he answered.

"No," he assured her. "I don't think you're crazy. I just think you're…a little lost." Dany nodded in agreement, looking up at the moon.

"My husband, he used to call me 'moon of my life.'" She smiled sadly at the memory. "Usually, when I'm feeling lost, I can look up at the moon and feel his presence."

"Sounds like he really loved you," Jax sympathized.

"I don't feel him here," Dany said quietly. "I came here to find him, but I've never felt further away from him than I do now." She pressed her lips together tightly, afraid she'd said too much. Jax glanced down at her, a mournful expression on his face.

"You know," he began, his voice gravelly. "This is the house I lived in with my wife. This is where we raised our family together. I keep thinking that if I stay here, I'll always have her close to me. But I don't feel her here, either. I think that when our loved ones leave us, they're just gone. They're not tied to one specific place. We can't get any closer to them by staying in the same spot, or further away by leaving. We've just gotta keep 'em in our hearts, you know? That way they're always with us."

Dany stared up at Jax in awe. She'd never heard a man share his emotions so freely. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, taking a deep breath.

"Anyway…enough about that. How 'bout them Dodgers?"

Dany raised one eyebrow and smiled. "You are a strange one, Jackson Teller." Jax laughed, a hearty laugh that echoed in the night sky.

"Yeah, look who's talkin'!" They laughed together for a moment, then grew silent. "I'm gonna go inside," Jax said, standing up. "I need to try to get a little shut eye before the boys come home tomorrow." Dany inhaled sharply, suddenly realizing that she had much less time with her only friend in this land than she though.

"I'll head out when the sun rises," she said, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Jax's brow furrowed. "_What_?"

"I assume you want me gone before your family returns," she explained, trying to sound nonchalant.

Jax shook his head, smiling. "Nah. You're welcome to stay here as long as you need."

"With you and your children? Me, a complete stranger?"

Jax casually crossed his arms over his chest. "Why not?" he challenged. "You're not crazy, right?"

Before she could stop them, the words Dany had been wondering all day tumbled through her lips. "Am I?" Her voice was barely a whisper, as if she was confessing to something. But what?

Jax spoke softly, his eyes locked on Dany's so that she had no choice but to believe him. "No," he promised her. "You're not."

When Dany awoke, the sun was high in the sky, which meant that it was nearing midday. Time in Jackson Teller's world had to move much faster, or slower, than it did back home, because she'd always been an early riser. She smoothed her long, white locks with the palms of her hands, still able to detect just the faintest hint of strawberries. She would have to wash it again soon.

She stretched her arms high above her head and smiled. For all of the things she didn't like or understand about this realm, it was not without benefits. She was safe, clean, and well-fed. There were no enemies on the horizon, monstrous bugs or dangerous beasts lurking about, or illnesses plaguing her camp. No one she'd met yet seemed like they'd put a sword through a man's heart merely for looking at them the wrong way. And she didn't feel the constant sense of urgency she'd grown so accustomed to at home. Things were much more relaxed here. Still, she missed her kingdom. And she missed her dragons. She wondered when it would be safe to bring up the dragons again, or if she should just keep thoughts of them to herself. That seemed to be the thing Jax had the hardest time with, although she didn't understand why. He had a steel horse, after all.

She meandered into the kitchen, wondering if there would be food- hoping that there was. She felt famished, although she'd just eaten the day before. Sometimes she went nearly a week without eating when she was traveling. Jax was seated at the dining room table with a man he'd introduced Dany to the night before, the one with the pointy face and clear blue eyes. He reminded Dany of a snake in human form.

"Mister Tig," she said, nodding politely. "Jackson." Jax smiled, the way Dany was growing used to him doing when she said or did something that he considered out of the ordinary. The look on Tig's face made her uncomfortable. She was grateful to be wearing the strange clothing Jax had given her, which covered most of her body.

"Hey, Dany," Tig said, looking her up and down. "How are ya?"

Dany smiled, taking a seat at the table, as far from the strange man as she could get. "I'm well, thank you. And you?"

"Oh, I'm good. I'm good. Hey, uh…I was wondering. You busy later?" Before Dany could respond, Jax punched the snake-man in the arm.

"Get the hell outta here, you idiot." He chuckled, but Dany had a feeling he was serious. "Let me know what Alvarez says after you talk to him." Tig's expression changed, suddenly all business.

"Will do, boss," he said, rubbing his sore arm. "Blondie." He bowed awkwardly in Dany's direction before he walked out of the room.

Jax shook his head, still smiling. "Sorry about that."

"Always at least one bad seed, I suppose," Dany empathized.

"More than one," Jax mumbled, getting up from the table. "You hungry?"

Dany smiled. "Very."

Just as she was finishing up something Jax called 'pancakes'- pieces of round, flat, moist bread with butter and maple syrup on them, the front door opened. Jax looked up from the parchment he was reading, which he referred to as a newspaper, and beamed.

"My boys!" he yelled, hastily getting up from the table and making his way to the living room. Two little boys dressed in bright colors charged at him, all giggles and smiles. The older one, Abel, was blonde like his father. Thomas, the younger boy, had dark hair and dark eyes. Dany decided he must take after his mother. Neither of them looked like monsters. In fact, they both looked like absolute angels. Dany stood up to greet them, but hung back toward the dining room to give them space. They had much to tell their father.

"Daddy, we went fishing, and I caught three fish!" Abel shouted excitedly.

Thomas bounced up and down, eagerly adding, "And I caught zero fish, but I got _five_ mosquito bites!" Jax laughed, lifting a child in each arm, grinning from ear to ear. He kissed them and hugged them and showered them with love in a way that made Dany's heart ache- both for the family she lost as an infant, and for the loss of her own child and husband. She'd never known the sort of love these children seemed to be well accustomed to. She blinked back tears, her heart swelling.

"We're home, we're home, we're home," announced a petite young woman with pale skin and fiery red hair as she bustled through the door carrying bags and sacks. Her accent was much different from Jax's, almost like that of the man Dany had met the night before, the one with scars on his face- Chibs.

"Hey, sis," Jax greeted her. "How was your trip?"

"It was…." The woman's voice drifted off as she and the boys all seemed to notice Dany at once. "Fucking aye, Jackson," she sneered. "Really?"

"Trin, it's not…"

"Daddy, who is she?" Thomas asked, pointing one chubby little finger in Dany's direction.

"This is my friend Dany," Jax explained. "She's really cool. Can you guys say hi?" Abel mumbled a quiet hello as he looked at the ground. Thomas didn't take his chocolate brown eyes off of Dany, but he didn't speak, either. He was much more interested in chewing on his fingers.

"Hello," Dany said softly. "It's lovely to meet you."

"Dany, this is Abel, Thomas, and my sister Trinity." Dany nodded at each of them, smiling. Trinity looked enraged, her cheeks turning a brighter shade of pink by the second. Jax paid her no mind. "Dany's going to be staying with us for a while."

"What?!" Trinity hissed. "You invited a crow-eater to live with us? Have you lost your mind?"

"Hey," Jax interrupted, his voice stern. "We'll talk about it later."

"We'll talk about it now," Trinity insisted. "And in private." She glared at Dany. A lesser woman probably would have been intimidated, but Dany was afraid of no one.

"Of course," Dany said calmly. "I need a….a…shower," she struggled to find the right word. "Take all the time you need." She could feel four sets of eyes on her as she headed down the hall toward the bathroom.

Dany tried not to think about Trinity's harsh words as she washed her skin and hair, rubbing her muscles to try to get them to relax in the warm water. But one thing stuck in her head.

"Crow eater?" she said indignantly. "I don't eat crows. Well…not unless I absolutely have to."


	6. Chapter 6

Dany sat on the edge of her bed, watching out the window as she raked her fingers through her wet, tangled hair. She could hear Jax's children playing quietly in the next room. Their little voices filled her heart with such joy. She'd always loved children, little boys especially.

She tried to focus on them rather than the hushed, angry voices coming from down the hall. Jax and his sister had been in deep discussion for nearly a half hour, and they didn't sound to be any closer to a resolution than before Dany got in the shower. She'd been so worried about how Jax's children would react to her being in the house, she hadn't given any thought to Jax's sister, which was silly. Because if anyone knew how wicked siblings could be, it was Daenerys Targaryen.

She often wondered how differently her life might have turned out if she'd not been left to fend for herself as an infant, with no one to look after her but her power hungry, half mad brother, Viserys. Then again, if it weren't for Viserys and his blind ambition to take back the iron throne, Dany never would have married Drogo. And she couldn't imagine her life without Drogo, no matter how brief their time together might have been. Dany became so lost in thought, she didn't hear the knock at the door.

"May I come in?" a soft, female voice asked, pushing the door open just slightly. Dany turned around to find Jax's sister standing in the hall, a defeated look on her face.

"Of course." Dany smiled, patting the bed beside her. She watched as Trinity reluctantly approached, sitting as far from Dany as the bed would allow. She looked nothing like her older brother- her hair was different, her eyes were different, her bone structure was different. Dany wondered if one of them mightn't be a bastard. She would have to ask Jax about it later.

Trinity cleared her throat and placed her hands in her lap, her posture tense. "I owe you an apology," she began. Dany held up a hand to stop her, but Trinity continued. Dany was not used to this land where people did as they pleased, rather than what she told them. She rather liked it. "I do," Trinity insisted. "I shouldn't have lost my temper right off the bat like that. It's just…" she took a deep breath, trying to decide how to proceed.

"You're trying to protect your family," Dany finished for her, an empathetic smile forming on her lips.

Trinity nodded. "Yes. My brother and my nephews, they've been through so much. The last thing they need is some crow eater swooping in and trying to fill Tara's shoes." Dany frowned. She didn't understand what Jax's sister had against crows.

"Trinity, I would never…"

"I know," Trinity interrupted. "Jax told me about your husband and your son. I'm very sorry for your loss. I just came in and saw you in Tara's house, wearing her clothes, your hair all a mess and I thought…well…I jumped to a conclusion that I shouldn't have." Trinity's cheeks flushed bright pink. Dany pursed her lips to avoid smiling.

"I did not lay with your brother, if that's what you mean," Dany promised.

Trinity raised an eyebrow, amused. "I believe that you didn't…lay with…Jax." The words did not come naturally to Trinity, and Dany realized she likely hadn't used the right ones. "I just want to make sure we keep it that way."

"Your brother has been very kind to me," Dany explained. "I have nothing but respect for him, his home, and his family. You have nothing to worry about, Trinity. He is a friend to me in my time of need, nothing more."

"Good," Trinity said with a quick nod, closing the subject.

"Good," Dany agreed, nodding in return.

"So we're cool, you and me?" Trinity asked. Dany wasn't sure what that meant, but she remembered Jax's insistence that she try to fit in and not let on when someone or something didn't make sense to her.

"We're cool," she affirmed, turning her attention back to her hair. Trinity sat for a long moment, just watching her. "Is there anything else?" Dany asked.

Trinity shook her head, blushing. "No," she said. "It's just…."

"Just what?"

"You really are very pretty," Trinity confessed. Dany was taken aback by the unexpected compliment. Before she could answer, Trinity exited the room, closing the door behind her. Dany smiled. Maybe _this _sibling wasn't so wicked after all.

* * *

Over the next several days, Dany fell into a comfortable, mundane routine. In her attempt to adapt to Jax's world, she put her mission on the back burner and did her best to learn about this strange new land. The more she learned, the less she understood, it seemed. Still, she got better and better about wearing a mask around others so that no one, not even Trinity, suspected how very different she was.

She would wake each morning in the bed that she was getting a little too used to. When she returned home, she would have a difficult time adjusting to the much less luxurious bedding Westoros had to offer, she was sure of it. She would shower, using all of the different creams and lotions for their intended purposes. She wondered if she'd be able to take some of that back with her when she left. She would help Jax with breakfast, sometimes even feeling so bold as to cook for everyone on her own, and then she would spend her days helping Trinity with the children and the housework while Jax was at 'work,' whatever that meant.

Everything was easier in this realm. Dany feared if she spent too long with Jax and his family, she'd have a hard time fending for herself when she returned home. Still, she enjoyed the reprieve from the brutal, primitive world she'd grown up in.

Though Dany was making significant strides toward adapting to life in the Teller household, Trinity seemed determined to keep her at arm's length. So Dany wasn't sure how to react the day she returned from her afternoon walk around the neighborhood and found Trinity crying at the dining room table. She didn't want to overstep or intrude, so she started down the hall toward her room- but something stopped her. Since when did she turn her back on someone in need, regardless of who it was? She might have been playing the role of "Dany," but she was still a Khaleesi.

"Trinity," she said softly, placing a tentative hand on the girl's shaking shoulder. "Are you alright?" To Dany's surprise, Trinity leaned into her side, her sobs becoming more violent.

"It's my ma," she cried. "She's very ill. She had a stroke this morning, and the doctors don't know if she'd going to make it." Dany seldom heard Trinity talk about her parents, but she knew now that she only shared a father with Jax, and that her mother lived very far away, in a distant land.

"Then you must go to her," Dany said, brushing wet strands of hair from Trinity's face as she cradled her head in her hands. "If your mother needs you, you must go."

Trinity's eyes narrowed. "I can't just…_go_. Jax and the boys need me."

"That they do," Dany agreed. "But so does your mother. I'd give anything to have known my mother, to have been able to look upon her, or feel her touch against my skin, even just one time." Her voice was wistful, and full of the deep longing of a motherless child. "You must go," she insisted. "I can help Jax with the boys while you're away."

The words offended Trinity, and a bit of her fire returned. "_You_?" she scoffed. Dany took a deep breath and tried to ignore Trinity's skeptical glare.

"I would protect those boys with my life." She and Trinity started at each other for a long moment, each trying to guess what the other was thinking. Finally, Trinity let out a long, mournful sigh, her shoulders slumping forward in defeat.

"Okay," she agreed. "I'll go."

* * *

After dinner that night, Jax took Trinity to the airport while Dany stayed with the boys. Dany wasn't sure exactly what an airport was, but she filed that question away with the million others she was saving for 'another time.' Trinity promised the boys she wouldn't be gone long, but due to the nature of her mother's illness, she couldn't say exactly when she'd be back. While Jax and the boys were unnerved by this, Dany was secretly a bit relieved, though she wasn't sure why.

She helped the boys with their baths, the way she'd seen Trinity do dozens of times, then let them pick out their pajamas and tucked them into bed.

"Good night, Abel," she said to the blonde haired little boy who was still too upset about his aunt leaving to be kind to anyone else. She ruffled his hair as he turned his back to her and hugged his stuffed frog tightly. "Good night, Thomas," she added, touching the dark haired, dark eyed beauty on his chubby little cheek. He smiled.

"Story?" he asked, raising his perfect little eyebrows, his eyes full of hope.

"You want me to tell you a story?" Dany smiled. Thomas nodded. "Oh alright," she sighed. "I suppose." She took a seat on the floor beside his bed, crossing her legs underneath her. She began telling him a tale about a beautiful queen from a faraway land- one who rode dragons and freed kingdoms from evil rulers. To Thomas, it was just a story. To Dany, it was reality. A few minutes in, she saw Abel watching her from across the room, listening intently. She motioned for him to join her and Thomas, and to her surprise, he jumped out of his bed and climbed into his little brother's.

As the boys' eyelids grew heavy, Dany's voice grew quieter, her words slower, until both boys were fast asleep. "And so Khaleesi, her King, and their beautiful little prince lived happily ever after in King's Landing." She stood carefully, so as not to make a sound. When she turned to leave the room, she was startled by a figure standing in the doorway, watching her. She had to cover her mouth to keep from screaming.

Jax held a finger up to his lips to shush her, trying not to laugh. With both hands still covering the lower half of her face, she followed him out of the room and down the hall.

"I'm sorry," he chuckled. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Well, you did!" Dany scolded him, the palm of her hand pressed against her racing heart. "How long were you standing there?"

"Long enough," Jax admitted. Dany scowled at him as she picked toys up off of the floor and threw them into the basket in the corner of the living room. "Thank you."

"It was just a story," Dany said, dismissing him nonchalantly. Jax moved in close, demanding her attention, his eyes locked on hers.

"No, I mean it," he said sincerely. "Thank you. For everything. You've been such a help to me and my sister these past couple of weeks. And here I thought I was supposed to be helping you." The way he smiled at Dany made her uncomfortable, but in the most wonderful way.

"It's my pleasure," she said. "And it's the least I can do, considering how kind you've been to me." She wished she didn't like the way Jax looked her up and down, or the way his breath felt on her skin.

"Tell ya what," he decided. "Tomorrow, I'll get outta work early, we'll order pizza for dinner, and then we'll put the boys to bed, have a couple beers, and talk about what I can do to help you with this mission you're on. I was supposed to be helping you with that, and I know I dropped the ball."

"Jax, you don't have to…"

"It's my pleasure," he interrupted, using her own words against her. "It's the least I can do." Dany smiled, nodding in agreement. "Okay?"

"Okay," she giggled, wishing the idea of alone time with Jax didn't excite her as much as it did.

"Now let's get some shut eye," he said. And as they walked down the hall toward their respective bedrooms, Dany wished she didn't love the way Jax's skin felt on hers as the palm of his hand grazed the small of her back. But she did. A little too much.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: (Eight Months Later) First and foremost, I am soooo sorry that I abandoned this story for so long! I know I left you all hanging, and I apologize for that. I do have an ending in mind for Charming Dragons, and I would say the story is about 75% complete at this time. I promise the next update will be soon(ish) and that I will stick with this one until it's finished, probably within the next month or two. Thank you all so much for being so ridiculously patient. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Jackson, where are we going?" Dany yelled over the roar of the motorcycle as it idled in the driveway. He'd practically dragged her out of the house as soon as the boys left for the day. His friend Lyla was taking them to the park for the afternoon, along with her three children. Dany liked Lyla. She was quite rough around the edges, if not entirely uncouth, but she was kind to Dany and seemed to have a genuine interest in Jax and the boys' wellbeing, which was an interest Dany shared more each day.

"I've been thinkin' since our talk the other night, you know, about this guy you're supposed to find, this wizard or whatever."

"Sorcerer," Dany corrected him as she snapped on her helmet.

"Same thing," Jax grumbled. Dany could tell it made him uncomfortable, the subject of sorcerers and witches and blood magic, but he humored her just the same. "Anyway, I don't know anything about magic or other realms or any of this shit you're always talkin' about, but I know someone who might. Now hop on."

Dany climbed onto Jax's bike with ease, wrapping her arms securely around his waist. As much as she wished to take command of her own steel horse like the queen she was, she didn't completely hate being so close to Jax. He smelled good and made her feel safe in a way that only one other man ever had.

The further away from the city they traveled, the easier it was for Dany to imagine that she was back in Westoros, riding through the hills on horseback. When she closed her eyes, she could almost hear her Army behind her, following her wherever she went, as they always did. She missed home. But the longer she was in Jax's world, the harder it was to imagine going back to her own.

"We're here," Jax called over his shoulder as he brought his bike to a stop. It took Dany a moment to return to reality.

"And where is 'here'?" she asked as she took off her helmet and began to smooth out her hair.

Jax smiled and took her hand, leading her down a dusty path to a very small house that more resembled Jax's garage than an actual home. "Welcome to the Wahewa Reservation in all its glory," he said quietly.

"Jackson!" called an elderly man with caramel skin as he rounded the side yard. "To what do I owe the pleasure? First the fat one, now you?"

Jax cocked his head to one side, an amused smile on his face. Before he could ask for clarification, a man Dany recognized as Jax's friend Bobby came stumbling out the front door.

"The hell you doin' here?" Jax asked as the men greeted one another in a way Dany was slowly becoming accustomed to. She still found the sight of two men embracing a bit odd, but it seemed to be a common practice here.

"Had to restock on the magic mushrooms," Bobby explained, dangling a clear plastic bag of what looked like dried animal droppings in front of his face.

"Jesus Christ," Jax muttered.

"What about you guys?"

"Yes, what _are_ you doing here?" the dark-skinned man asked as he approached.

"Hey, Chief," Jax offered warmly, shaking the man's hand. "How's it goin'? This is my friend Dany."

The man nodded graciously. "Ma'am."

"Lovely to meet you," Dany replied.

"So my friend here," Jax continued, placing a gentle hand on Dany's shoulder, "is in need of a little spiritual guidance. I thought a powwow with your ma might do her some good. She around?"

"Mother's napping," the man explained. "You're welcome to wait. If you'll excuse me, I was right in the middle of something." He bowed his head and disappeared behind his house again, leaving Jax, Dany, and Bobby alone.

"Let's walk," Jax suggested.

Bobby chuckled. "You can walk me back to my bike. I don't even know where I parked it, to be honest with ya." Jax laughed and shook his head.

The three of them started down a path that cut between two small groupings of trees. Dany enjoyed the quiet countryside and the sounds of nature- there was a certain melody to it that she found enchanting. Her eyes grew wide when she heard a familiar sound. At first, she thought she'd imagined it. But when she heard it a second time, she knew it was real. She took off down the path, toward the noise, Jax on her heels, calling after her. It was the whinnying of…

"A horse!" she gasped as she reached an open meadow encased by metal fencing. In her excitement, she nearly tripped over the bars on the gate as she climbed them.

"Dany!" Jax yelled. "What are you doing?" She held up a hand to quiet him. The horse was calm, but it would bolt if startled. She approached with caution as Jax and Bobby hung back on the other side of the fence.

"Hello there," Dany crooned as she took slight, slow movements toward the chestnut colored mare. "You're a pretty one, aren't you?" The horse snuffed and clomped its heel against the hard ground, creating a small dust cloud. It didn't bother Dany. Westoros was nothing if not dusty. "Don't be afraid," she murmured. "I won't hurt you." She reached carefully toward the horse. "It's aaaaalright. It's alright." The feel of the horse's coat under her hand sent adrenaline racing through her veins. It was the first time since arriving in Charming that she'd felt in her own element. The horse responded positively to her touch. It nuzzled into her hand as she stroked the single patch of white, right between its eyes. "Let's go for a ride, shall we?" she whispered. The horse almost seemed to know what she was saying. It stood perfectly still as she grabbed a tuft of its mane as leverage to pull herself up. She didn't dare look back at Jax. She knew him well enough to know he wouldn't approve.

She hoisted herself up onto the horse's back on her first try, even though she was quite out of practice. The horse shifted a bit under her weight, and she tightened her legs against its sides to steady herself. Once she felt secure, she looked toward Jax and Bobby. Bobby was leaning against a tree, enjoying the show as he picked small morsels out of the bag in his hand and ate them. Jax was standing just outside the gate, gripping it tightly with both hands, ready to leap over it and run to Dany's rescue if necessary. His face was twisted up with worry. Dany waved to him, beaming with excitement. His eyes wide and his jaw set, he was pointing frantically at the ground, signaling for her to get down. _Who did he think he was?_ Dany winked at him as she dug her heels into the horse's side.

"Yah!" she shouted, and the horse took off. The weight of a thousand worlds lifted from her shoulders as the horse galloped through the meadow, turning at every curve of the fence. It knew its boundaries. She could hardly hear Jax yelling at her as the wind whipped against her ears. She took deep, deliberate breaths, releasing her sorrow with each one. Round and round they went, Dany and the horse. Each time she passed Jax, he looked a little less tense. Dany's heart was so full of joy, she was afraid it might burst. For the first time in a long time, she felt like herself. She threw her head back and laughed as her long hair twisted in the breeze. The laughter was contagious, and soon Jax and Bobby were laughing right along with her.

She was so lost in the moment, it took her a while to notice that the man Jax called "Chief" had joined them, with him, a petite, frail looking old woman. He studied Dany and the horse, wide-eyed. She steered the horse toward her audience, stopping just in front of them.

"I'm sorry," she said, out of breath, as she quickly hopped off the horse. "I should have asked your permission. I hope you don't mind."

The chief shook his head. "No," he said quietly. "Not at all. It's just…we took her in as a wild one. She was injured, and my son thought he could nurse her back to health and then put her to work around here. But no one has been able to break her. No one has even been able to get close. It's remarkable."

"Oh," Dany said, shrugging off his compliment as she pressed her forehead against the horse's muzzle. "I don't believe that. She's a sweet girl." She could feel Jax's eyes on her. "What?" she demanded, turning to him.

He shook his head and smiled. "You just constantly surprise me, that's all."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked, heat rising to her cheeks.

"I don't know yet," Jax mused. The horse whinnied, stealing his attention for just a moment. "You scared the shit outta me, you know."

Dany gave him a sly grin. "I know."

"Dany, this is my mother, Hania," the chief interrupted. Dany turned to greet the woman. When their eyes met, an instant connection took hold. This woman was not like the other people in Charming. She was other worldly, like Dany. And judging by the shocked look on her leathery face, she felt it too.

She reached a shaky hand toward Dany, placing it gently on her cheek. "Khaleesi," she whispered.


	8. Chapter 8

Dany followed Hania and her son through the woods, toward a large tent nestled in the trees. Jax remained up near the house with Bobby, who was nearly comatose from the effects of his odd looking treats. He said he wanted to give Dany her privacy. But she knew he really just wanted nothing to do with the conversation she was about to have, and that was okay. He'd brought her to this place. That was support enough.

The tent was much bigger than it looked from afar. The frame was built from logs, with scraps of canvas and animal pelts serving as the roof and walls. Inside, there were beaded talismans and feathered dream catchers hanging from every branch and nook. In the center of the tent was a large, thick fur, likely from a bear, surrounded by several stumps that appeared to serve as seats. In front of one of the seats was a wide basin made of stone, filled with water. That was where Hania sat. Her son, whose real name was Charlie, sat beside her.

She motioned for Dany to join them. Dany obliged, smiling at Hania over the shimmering water of the basin. Hania began speaking in a language Dany didn't recognize, which was unsettling, considering that she was well versed in over a dozen languages. She smiled and allowed the old woman to finish, then turned to Charlie with pleading eyes.

He smiled slightly as if to say, '_that's what I'm here for._' "She says she can tell you are an old soul, a queen of worlds, a khaleesi." Hania held her hands out over the basin and spoke again. "She wants you to take her hands," Charlie explained. Dany slid her small, strong hands into Hania's wrinkled, course hands as the woman gave her instructions. "She says, tell her why you've come, what you're doing here, leave nothing out. Only if you are completely honest with her will she be able to help you."

Dany nodded, biting her lip as she tried to decide where to begin. She was proud of who she was. She was proud of where she came from. But she'd gotten so used to people looking at her like she was insane whenever she spoke the truth about who she was, the words didn't come easy. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I am Queen Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, First of her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons," she said. "I come from a land called Westoros. A land very different from this one." She opened her eyes, expecting to see disbelief and discomfort in the eyes of her confidants, but all she saw was understanding. Hania patted her hands and nodded, urging her to continue.

Dany told them all about her life with Drogo, about losing him and their son, and about the promise the Red Witch made to help her find them. She told them about the sorcerer she was looking for, and how, until she met Hania, she hadn't seen a bit of magic anywhere in Charming.

"I'm so lost," she finally said, her eyes filling with tears. "Can you help me?" Hania nodded, then mumbled unintelligible instructions to Charlie. He got up and went over to a makeshift shelving unit on the far side of the tent, then returned with a long, sharp blade and a pitcher of water. He handed the knife to his mother, then poured the water into the basin until it was so full, it was seeping over the edges. Hania motioned for Dany to lean in close. Dany's long hair hung so that the ends of it skimmed the water overflowing from the basin. Hania reached out with the knife and quickly hacked off a lock. Dany jumped up, instantly on guard. The warrior within her began to lunge for the knife, but she was able to hold back. She didn't want to hurt the frail woman.

"Are you _mad_?" she yelled, frantic. Her heart was racing. Hania held her hands up in surrender and allowed the lock of hair she'd stolen to fall into the basin. The water began to swirl. She motioned for Dany to sit back down. As Dany sat, she pulled her hair behind her shoulders, so that it would be safe from any further unauthorized trimming. Hania laughed. She held her own hand above the water and made a slicing motion with the knife, not quite touching the skin. She looked up at Dany and reached for her hand once more. Dany knew what she wanted. She held her hand above the swirling water and clenched her jaw as Hania quickly sliced a superficial gash across her palm, instantly drawing blood. Dany turned her hand over and allowed the blood to drip into the basin.

Then, Hania said a word Dany understood. "Melisssssaaaandreeeee," she hissed, and the water began to calm. Its opacity gave way to a scene not unlike the ones Dany often saw on Jax's television, only this was one she recognized. The temple in the woods where she first met Melisandre.

"Westoros!" she whispered excitedly. "Hania, you did it!" She watched as the reflection in the water changed once more. Now they were looking inside the temple, and the Red Witch was looking back at them.

"Well, hello, Khaleesi," she said flippantly. "What can I do for you?"

"You demon!" Dany spat. "You lied to me!"

Melisandre smiled, her upper lip curling into a snarl. "I did no such thing," she argued.

"You told me I would find my husband and my son here. You've got me looking for some sorcerer, and there is no magic in this land!"

"The devil's in the details, young one," Melisandre purred. "I offered to send you to a land where you would find your family." Dany bit her tongue so hard, she tasted blood. "Well?" the Red Witch asked impatiently.

"Well, what?" Dany demanded between clenched teeth.

"Well…haven't you found them? The bloke with the hair and the eyes? _Mmmm, those eyes_. And his children? Are they not your new family?"

"N-no," Dany stammered, confused. "No, they're not my family."

"Are you certain of that?" Melisandre leered. "I saw them in your future. It is not by chance that you've grown close to them"

"No!" Dany cried, tears spilling over onto her cheeks. "Drogo is my family! My unborn son is my family! That is what you promised me!"  
Melisandre sighed as she twisted a lock of red hair around one long, slender finger. "I'm sorry you drew that conclusion from our conversation. I never promised that. Your husband and your boy are gone. And you cannot go backward, Daenerys, only forward. That man and his children are your future. They are your family now. Unless you don't want them to be. That's your choice. Either way, I kept my word."

"Your word is worth nothing!" Dany screamed, on the verge of hysterics.

"Well, that's not very queenly of you," Melisandre scolded. "Speaking of…I must go. My Stannis is planning a raid on your Army of savages, and I need to see him off. Farewell, Khaleesi."

Before Dany could respond, the image in the water changed again. They were back outside, overlooking the lush forest surrounding Melisandre's lair.

"No," Dany cried, falling to her knees. "What have I done? I left my people unprotected. They'll be slaughtered! How could I be so stupid?" Surprisingly agile for her age, Hania joined her on the ground, stroking her hair gently, speaking fast. "I don't understand what you're saying," Dany pleaded.

"She says she can help you," Charlie explained. "If you want to go home, she can send you back during the next full moon. Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Dany looked up, her eyes wide. She needed to get back to Westoros as soon as possible, to fight beside her people and resume her quest for the Iron Throne. _But tomorrow_? She wasn't ready to leave Jax and the boys just yet. Hania nodded. Fresh tears sprung to Dany's eyes.

"Take tonight to think about it," Charlie suggested. "We'll start preparing in the morning, just in case."

"Thank you," Dany said, pulling herself up from the dirt. No sooner was she on her feet than Jax appeared at the tent entrance. She wiped furiously at her cheeks, trying to hide the evidence of her outburst. Jax wasn't fooled.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he hurried over to her. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

"I'm alright," she insisted. "Just a bit emotional. I'll be fine."

Jax pushed her hair away from her face and studied her eyes, looking for any sign that she might be hiding something. He had no idea how deceptive she was capable of being when it was necessary. "You sure?"

"I'm sure."

Jax smiled, satisfied. "Lyla just called, she's headed back to the house with the boys. Are you ready to go, or should I come back and get you later?" Dany turned back to Hania, who gave her an encouraging nod.

"I'm ready," she said. "Let's go home." _Home_. The ease with which the word rolled off her tongue surprised even her. And for the first time, she began to question just where her home really was.


	9. Chapter 9

On a typical night, Dany would take care of the dishes and do household chores while the Jax played outside with the boys after dinner. But on this night, as the sound of children's laughter traveled in through the kitchen window, Dany was overcome by a deep sadness. This was quite possibly her last night with the Tellers, and she didn't want to spend it cleaning. She wanted to squeeze Thomas' cheeks and tickle Abel's belly and laugh at Jax's terrible impressions as he role-played with his boys. So she left the dishes unattended, and headed out the back door.

"Dany!" Thomas squealed in the raspy little voice that she loved so much. "Will you play with us?"

"Yeah!" Abel yelled as he chased after his father with a wooden sword. "We're playing knights and kings! Daddy's the king, and I'm trying to kill him! You can be the princess, and we'll save you from him!" Dany's heart sank. In just over twenty four hours, she would be back in a world where sword fighting was not child's play, and kings and queens were walking targets with usurpers hiding around every corner.

She smiled, stepping off the deck into the yard. "You shouldn't kill your king, Abel," she said softly. "You should respect him. His job is harder than you'll ever know."

"Fine," Abel said, dropping his sword. "Then he's a dragon. We're all mean, horrible dragons and we're coming to eat you!"

"Then I guess I'll just have to be a dragon charmer," Dany countered. "Because dragons are beautiful creatures, and I could never, ever harm one, no matter how mean or horrible they were. I have quite a lot of practice, you know, charming dragons." Thomas looked up at her in awe, but Abel was more skeptical.

"Oh yeah?" he asked. "Then how do you do it?"

"Well," Dany whispered, kneeling down so that she and Abel were eye-to-eye, "the secret is…" She waited until he moved in close, and then made her move. "You tickle them!" She grabbed him and tickled under his arms while he squirmed and squealed. He wriggled away from her and took off across the yard, a giggling Thomas on his heels. Dany allowed them a head start, then began her pursuit. "Little draaagons!" she called out. "Where aaaare you?" She knew exactly where they were, they were less than quiet, but she humored them by searching under bushes and behind trees.

"Gotcha," Jax said, reaching out from behind one of the trees and grabbing Dany by the arm. He pulled her around the side of the tree, out of the boys' view.

"What are you…" Before she could finish her sentence, he pressed his lips to hers. She was shocked, but in a good way. He tangled his hands in her hair and held her close to him for only a brief moment before releasing her. She stared at him, wide eyed, her lips on fire and her heart racing. He smiled. And then without another word, he was gone.

"I'm going to get you, you little monsters," he yelled as he chased after the boys. Dany couldn't move. Her entire world had just been tilted on its axis by a single kiss. She, Daenerys Targaryen, rightful queen to the iron throne, was completely shaken. She'd watched countless men die, killed many of them herself, been on the verge of death a thousand times, but she'd never been shaken. Not like this.

She didn't even notice when Thomas approached her. He grabbed the hem of her flowing white skirt and roared a delicious toddler's roar.

"I got you!" he declared. "Abel, I got Dany! I roared and burned her all up!"

Dany scooped the small boy into her arms. "You look like you're the one that got all burned up…what is this all over you?" She wiped at a dark smudge on his cheek.

"I fell down," he admitted, hanging his head.

Dany let out a quick laugh. "Well let's go inside and get you cleaned up, shall we?" Thomas nodded.

* * *

She had been lying awake for nearly two hours, staring at the ceiling. Much like when she first arrived in Charming, everything felt unfamiliar to her. Her bed was too soft, the night too quiet, her belly too full. Her head was already back in Westoros, where such things just did not exist. But her heart…her heart was torn.

Daenerys grew up an orphan, living in exile, with no one besides her wicked brother as a companion. Her life was about survival, about staying off the radar of Robert Baratheon and his men. She knew nothing of love or family. And that was all she ever wanted. A family. She got close, once. She grew to love the man she was forced to marry, as well as their unborn child. But that life was taken from her, and out of her grief, she forged another. A life where she was a great leader, destined to reign over the seven kingdoms. There was always a part of her, though, that longed for something simpler. Love. Happiness. Children. And now she could have that. But she would have to give up her kingdom and abandon her army to get it. And she simply couldn't do that.

A lone tear rolled down her cheek as she tried to prepare her heart to say goodbye to the life she'd grown so fond of. She wiped it away when there was a knock at her door. She pulled back her blankets and climbed out of bed, smoothing her hair down as she opened the door.

Jax stood before her, his eyes full of untold emotion, a small smile on his face. For a long moment, they gazed upon one another, neither of them saying a word. When the silence became too much, Dany opened her mouth to speak. Jax responded by taking her in his arms and kissing her, hard at first. His lips were needy, his touch urgent. He was like a starving man taking his first bite of food in days. Dany couldn't help but be swept up in his passion. She kissed him back, pressing her body against his as their tongues moved in perfect rhythm.

After a moment, Jax's roughness faded, and his lips were feather-light as they moved to Dany's neck, eliciting a sigh from deep within her. He took her hand and led her down the hall to his bedroom, the one room in the house she'd never been to. He lifted her into his arms and laid her gently on the bed, drinking in the sight of her. They kissed for a long while, exploring each other's bodies with their hands. The newness of it all was exhilarating. It was the familiarity that unsettled Dany. This was not just sex. It was the physical expression of love. And Dany had only known that with one other man.

No words were spoken as the two of them made love, then fell asleep in one another's arms, their heartbeats in sync. Dany awoke before the sun the next morning, a smile on her face. For the first time since losing Drogo, she felt at home. She was exactly where she belonged. Melisandre may have deceived her, but she still kept her word. Dany had found her family. She knew that now. She looked up at Jax, who was sleeping peacefully. It was the first time she'd ever seen his face free of the deep worry lines that creased his forehead and the sides of his mouth. He was beautiful, and together they could have a beautiful life. Her decision made, Dany drifted back off to sleep, completely at peace.

When she woke again, it was to the sound of Jax stirring beside her. He had his back to her, and at first she wasn't sure he was awake. She propped herself up on her elbow and reached out to him, but stopped just before her hand touched his arm. He was awake, and the side of his face that she could see was streaked with tears. He'd been crying. And before she could ask him why, she followed his gaze to the framed picture on his nightstand. A picture of him with his wife and their children.

Dany felt as if a knife had been plunged into her heart. She retreated slowly, so that Jax wouldn't feel her moving beside him. She laid back down, fighting the sobs that threatened to strangle her. What a stupid girl she was. Jax didn't love her, he never would. He gave his heart to another, and it would always be hers. He and the boys were Tara's family, not Dany's. No matter how many dinners she cooked or bedtime stories she read, that would never change. Just because she wanted a life with them didn't mean it was meant to be.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as Jax sat up in bed. "Good morning," she whispered, holding back her true emotion.

"Hey," Jax mumbled, without turning to face her. He was ashamed. And Dany was devastated. "I've gotta go to the clubhouse, do some work. Would you mind getting the boys breakfast? I'll send Lyla or one of the girls over to pick 'em up in a few hours.

"Sure," Dany replied, on the verge of tears.

Jax stood up, quickly pulling on his jeans and the same t-shirt he'd worn the day before. He faced Dany, but did not make eye contact as he planted a lifeless kiss on her forehead, the way one might do with a child or a sickly relative. And then he was gone.

Dany waited until she could no longer hear the roar of his motorcycle in the distance before getting out of bed. She hurried back to her room, and opened a drawer she hadn't touched in weeks- the one that contained the clothes she'd arrived in Charming wearing. She would need them on this day, the day she was to return home to Westoros.


	10. Chapter 10

Dany was anxious and heavy hearted as they pulled up to the Wahewa Reservation. She just wanted to get this over with.

"Thank you, Bobby," she yelled over the roar of the old man's bike. He was the only person she trusted with her plan, even though she didn't tell him all of it. He knew that she was going home, and that some sort of other-worldly element was involved, but beyond that, he didn't ask questions. She had a feeling Bobby was the type of person who knew more than he said, and was more open minded than most.

"You sure you wanna do this?" he asked, a solemn look on his face.

Dany nodded, choking back tears. "It's the right thing," she insisted. "Just please let Jax know not to worry, that I'm alright. And please look after his beautiful little boys."

"You got it, sugar," Bobby said with a wink. "Want me to stick around or…"

"No," Dany interrupted him. "I'll be fine. Thank you again, Bobby. You take care." As she turned to walk away, she was thankful that was the only goodbye she would have to say in person. By the time Jax and the boys found out, she'd be long gone. She knew it was wrong, leaving without telling them, but her heart simply couldn't bear it.

Chief Charlie and his mother, Hania, were waiting near the edge of the woods. With them was the beautiful mare Dany had ridden the day before.

"Are we going far?" Dany asked after greeting them both.

"She's a gift," Charlie explained. "Mother says you will need a horse, where you're going."

"I will indeed," Dany confirmed. "But I can't…"

"She is yours already," Charlie interrupted. "We insist." Dany bowed her head graciously and allowed Charlie to help her onto the horse.

"Hello, sweet girl," she murmured. "Would you like to go for a ride?" The horse whinnied and dragged her hoof against the ground. Dany smiled, satisfied.

"Let us begin," Chief Charlie announced. Together, they made their way to the tent in the woods. Dany noticed that it was arranged much differently than it had been the day before. The roundtable seating was gone, the basin was pushed off to the side, and the covering on the back side of the tent had been removed, revealing thick foliage on the other side. Hania began to speak quickly, and Charlie translated for her. "Mother says, even though the full moon will not rise for hours, the energy needed to perform the ritual can be harnessed now. We've collected the milk of the poppy, the root of an elderberry, and the sap of a thousand year old oak tree. All that is needed now is your blood, and your hair."

"Yes, of course," Dany agreed, pulling a lock from the back of her head forward, so that the shorn piece wouldn't be so noticeable. Charlie pulled out his pocket knife and sliced the bottom few inches of the lock of hair off, then handed it to his mother. Dany then offered him the same hand they'd sliced the day before, knowing that the wound would be easy to reopen, as it had not yet begun to heal.

Charlie held up a small cup, made of the same stone as the basin. "We will need to fill this to its brim," he apologized.

"I'll be alright," Dany assured him. She winced in pain as he reopened her small wound, then balled her hand into a tight fist and allowed the blood to drip into the cup. Once it was full, he handed it to Hania, who quickly got to work mixing ingredients and chanting spells. He opened a bottle of water like the ones Jax kept in his refrigerator at home, and poured it over Dany's hand. He then offered her a clean towel and a gauze wrap. She wrapped her wound tightly, then focused her attention on her new steed as Hania worked her magic. "You need a name, don't you?" she asked quietly. She wanted something strong, something noble. But all she could think of was her last night with the Teller boys, and so she said, "I will call you Dragon." She realized it was a little redundant, given that back home she had actual dragons, but the irony amused her.

All at once, Hania's frenzy stopped, and she held up a small bowl, which was full of a dark, swirling liquid.

"It's time," Charlie announced. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

_No_, Dany's heart warned. "Yes," she insisted. In a quick, fluid movement that surprised Dany due to her apparent frailty, Hania tossed the contents of the bowl at the open wall of the tent, chanting loudly. Before Dany's eyes, a portal opened out of thin air, the portal that would take her home.

"Daenerys Targaryen," Chief Charlie called out over the rush of wind as the tent quivered and shook. "It is our honor to send you home. Safe travels." Dragon was hesitant, and began to move backward rather than forward.

"It's alright, love," Dany assured her, urging her forward. "It's alright. It won't hurt you." With each step Dragon took, Dany felt the pull of home. It was less than a dozen feet from one end of the tent to the other, but that short ride seemed to take forever. Finally, they reached the threshold of the portal. She locked eyes with Hania, silently thanking the woman for her help. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and raised her heel to nudge it into Dragon's side one final time.

"Dany, stop!" She almost didn't hear him over the roar of the portal, which was just inches before her now. She was sure she was imagining it, anyway. "Dany!" She opened her eyes and turned her head just enough to find Jax staring at her, wide-eyed. Instinctively, she pulled back on her horse's reigns, and Dragon retreated just slightly. Dany looked frantically to Charlie, torn.

He nodded. "You have a few minutes, Daenerys. But no more than that. The portal will close. And we will not be able to reopen it." She jumped down from the horse and gathered the length of her silk dress in one hand so that she could walk unencumbered.

"Jackson!" she hissed. "What are you doing here?" He looked her up and down, bewildered. He'd seen her dressed as a queen once before, the night they met. But he was skeptical then. Called it a "costume." Now, between the gown and the horse and the swirling portal of magic before him, he could hardly discount Dany's claim of being from another world. She saw in his eyes that he knew- that he finally, truly, completely believed her. That was something she'd wanted for so long.

"Holy shit," he mumbled.

"Jackson!" she yelled again, trying to break him from his daze. It worked.

"Bobby," he said. "Bobby told me you were leavin', and I might have threatened his life until he told me where to find you. I can't let you go, I…can we talk, for a minute? Away from all of this?"

"I only have a moment," Dany said, leading Jax out of the tent, to where it was a bit quieter.

"I'm so sorry about this morning," Jax said, his words tumbling out quickly, knowing he didn't have much time. "I just…"

"You don't have to explain," Dany interrupted. "You're still in love with your wife. Let's just agree that what happened between us was purely physical, and leave it at that."

Jax's eyes filled with an emotion Dany couldn't quite read. "I do love my wife," he admitted. "I'll always love Tara. As I imagine you'll always love your husband."

"Yes, of course," Dany agreed.

"But what happened between us last night, it wasn't just physical. I've been with other women since Tara died. But this was the first time I ever…felt anything. And it scared the hell outta me. Felt like I was being unfaithful to Tara or something, I don't know. So this morning, I just had to get out of there. I needed time to think, and…"

"Jackson, you don't owe me any explanation, as I've already said."

"Yes, I do," he argued. "I want you to know that what happened…it meant something to me. _You_ mean something to me." Dany's eyes filled with tears. "I think…I think I'm falling in love with you, Daenerys Targaryen." She wasn't used to the sound of her full name on Jax's lips.

"But your wife…"

"My wife was an incredible woman. There was nothing more important to her than family. She wanted that so much for our boys, you know? And I don't know if she's still here, watching over us or whatever, but I do know that she wouldn't want me to fuck this up. You're good for our boys. They love you. You make them happy. You make _me_ happy. And I know that's all Tara would want for us. _You_ are what Tara would want for us."

"Jax, I…"

"Please don't go. Just…stay."

"I can't," Dany said wistfully. "Jackson, where I come from, I am a queen. I left my people in the middle of a war on a false promise made by a wicked woman with an agenda. I have to get back to them. I have to finish what I started. My life is in Westoros."

"Is it?" Jax challenged, taking Dany's hand in his. "Because I've watched you with the boys. And I saw the look in your eyes last night when we made love. I think you were pretty satisfied with your life here until I fucked it up by acting like a jackass this morning." Dany wiped at the tears that rolled down her cheeks. "Look…I'm not gonna lie to you, Dany. I'm not an easy person to love. And if this were all up to me, I'd drag this thing between us out for months, maybe years before making a solid commitment. But I know we don't have that kind of time. And if it's a matter of losing you or being honest with myself…"

"Jackson," Dany pleaded. She'd already made up her mind. He couldn't do this to her.

"The truth is, I love you. I do. I want you in my life, and in the boys' lives. We're already livin' together, and I don't want that to change. I want the four of us to be a family, a real family. If you want to get married, we'll get married. If you want to take things slow, we'll take them slow. But I need you to know that I'm committed to you. To us." He lifted a hand to Dany's face and brushed his thumb across her cheekbone, then across her trembling lips.

"I love you, too," she murmured. "But I…" He halted her objection by pressing his lips to hers. She tried to resist the pull of him, but as he rested his hand on the small of her back and pressed his body against hers, it was too much. She held his face in her hands and kissed him back, the tears flowing freely.

"Daenerys!" Charlie hollered. "The portal is closing! You must come now." She and Jax both turned toward the tent, where the glow of the portal was dulling, and the size of it was shrinking. Jax squeezed her hand. This was it. She had to choose.

She turned back toward Jax and exhaled deeply as she closed her eyes. Then she kissed him again, freely and without fear, until the breeze swirling around them turned still. He pulled away, but kept his arms around her waist.

"What just happened?" he asked.

"I chose you," she said, smiling slightly. A jubilant grin spread across Jax's face as he lifted her off the ground and spun her around. The two of them laughed as they let go of their troubled pasts, and silently vowed to build a future together.

Jax kissed her once more, then linked his fingers through hers. "Let's go home," he said. "Our little dragons miss you."

***THE END***


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